Every business decision has an impact.  In a crisis what you say is as important as what you do.  I have been the crisis manager for the organization conducting human vaccine trials and for the largest international  relief agency carrying out emergency operations in the world’s trouble spots.

A crisis can sometimes come from afar. Anyone with a column or a blog can report on our your organizational footprint, and at any time.  Thanks to the Internet, misstatements about your organization can be mined in perpetuity.  Most often than not, a crisis is an issue that wasn’t identified and managed in time.

Issues management is the stuff of communications and which should be logged and evaluated as part of an ongoing process. Along with strategic counsel, I help you set up the communications protocols to track and evaluate risk.

It’s also important to understand the media environemnt, the other  players – consumers, community and advocacy groups, etc. – and the dialogue that is shaping your environment. When it comes to preventing a crisis you will want to work with a media consultant who has spent years in the newsroom and understands what makes headlines – and how to avoid them.